Chris Christofi’s annual gala raises over $200,000 to support homeless Australians

·

The fifth Lead With Kindness gala, held last Friday at The Glasshouse in Melbourne, raised almost $214,000 ($213,765) in support of the St Vincent de Paul Society. It was the most successful event in the initiative’s five-year history.

The funds raised will directly provide 23,400 hot meals and almost 1,000 safe places to sleep for Australians doing it tough.

Chris Christofi is the founder of Reventon and is currently the highest fundraiser in the Vinnies CEO Sleepout’s national history. He has already raised over $300,000 for this year’s campaign with a target of raising $350,000. Chris hopes to become the person who raises the most money in a single Sleepout campaign.

“This is not about putting on a fancy event. It is about making sure people doing it tough have what most of us take for granted – a hot meal, a safe place to sleep, and the dignity of being seen and supported,” Christofi said.

“It’s about making a real difference. That’s what these numbers mean. That’s the impact.”

A record breaking night of generosity:

• 324 tickets sold — the largest attendance in Lead With Kindness history
• First ever black tie banquet format
• Guests flew in from across Australia, including Sydney and Perth
• Live performances including two finalists from The Voice
• Powerful keynote from Vinnies leaders reflecting on 50 years of soup vans
• 40 auction items, including:
 - Sydney Harbour luxury yacht cruise: $7,000
 - Lucy Liu private dinner for 16: $6,000
 - Bali resort holiday for six: $4,000

The evening formed a major part of Christofi’s eighth consecutive Vinnies CEO Sleepout campaign, continuing his long-standing commitment to raising funds and awareness for homelessness.

With this year’s total, Christofi has now personally raised more than $1 million, delivering vital resources to frontline support services.

The mission is far from over:

Christofi said now was no time to slow down.

“We are not here to rest on our laurels. We have helped thousands of people, but thousands more still need us. The homelessness crisis is not going away, and neither are we,” he said.

Lead With Kindness 2025 was proudly supported by major sponsor B1 Homes, with additional support from Reventon and Chris Christofi. Special thanks to all donors, bidders, attendees, and performers who made the night unforgettable. Andy Reid was the auctioneer on the evening, and Matt Charles was the MC.

To support Chris in this year’s campaign click here.

Advertisement

Share:

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH TGH

By subscribing you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Advertisement

Latest News

Sydney restaurant owner Peter Papas pushes back on council speed limit cuts

Sydney restaurant owner Peter Papas has criticised a growing push by local councils to reduce speed limits across suburban streets.

Emotional memories shared at launch of ‘Finding Home’ exhibition at Bonegilla

The stories of Greek migrants to Australia came to life on June 6 at the official launch of Finding Home, a new exhibition at the Bonegilla.

Feast day of the Holy Spirit celebrated at the Holy Trinity Church in Footscray

The Feast Day of the Holy Spirit was celebrated by the faithful at the Holy Trinity Church in Footscray, Melbourne.

Kingsgrove High School’s ‘Future Links’ expo inspires students to dream big

On Friday, June 6, Kingsgrove High School (KHS) proudly hosted its fifth annual Future Links Careers Expo.

Nick Tsougranis to make emotional NRL debut for the Dragons

Nick Tsougranis will make his NRL debut for the Dragons on Thursday night as they take on rivals Cronulla in the southern Sydney derby.

You May Also Like

Meet the Evzones visiting Adelaide and Perth

Members of Greece’s Presidential Guard have arrived in Adelaide, South Australia to attend this year’s OXI Day events.

Ambassador Arthur Spyrou meets Sydney Opera House’s longest-serving employee

Australia’s Ambassador to Greece, Arthur Spyrou, met with the Sydney Opera House's longest-serving employee, Steve Tsoukalas in Kalymnos.

Apostolos Stamatelopoulos named in Socceroos squad for World Cup qualifier

Apostolos Stamatelopoulos has been named named in the 25-man squad for Australia’s upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026™ Qualifiers.
OSZAR »